Improvement in reaping and mowing machines



UNTTED STATES PATENT CFE-TCE.

CYRUS H. MCCORMICK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 33,658. dated November 5, 1861.

To all lwhom 'it 'may concern:

Beit known that I, GYRUs H. MGGORMIGK, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Reaping and Mowing, of which thefollowing is afull, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which makes part of this specilication, and which represents a view in perspective ot' a McCormick mower embracing my improvements.

My improvement consists in combining a drivers seat, a leaning-bar, and a jointed tongue in a machine whose Weight is mainly balanced or poised both sidewise and lengthwise upon the main driving-wheel, so that the driver by shifting his position may incline the machine either forward 0r backward, or to the right or left upon the driving-wheel, which of course must be the center, or thereabout, of the weight ot' the whole machine.

The gearing-frame A is of triangular form, and is hung upon the axle d of the drivingwheel D, which is placed within this frame.

This frame likewise carries the gearing.

The tongue C, by which the machine is drawn, is hinged by a joint-pin, c, to the front ofthe gearing-frame, so asto allow the frame to oscillate freely upon the'axle of the drivingwheel.

The finger-beam B is attached to the rear of the frame A, and projects laterally beyond the frame a distance equal to the width of swath the machine is designed to cut.

The gearing is placed on the side of the driving-wheel opposite to that on which the linger-beam projects, and nearly counterbalances the weight'of the cutting apparatus, so as `to leave barely enough preponderance of weight on the side of the cutter to keep it running upon the ground when the machine is left free to assume its own position. Y

A seat for the driver is placed upon the frame, and extends across the driving-wheel, and is fitted on one or both sides with a leaning-bar, E, extending forward and inclining outward for the driver to bear against toward either side ofthe wheel, and thus determinea preponderance of weight on either side at will, or, ceaslng to bear against the leaning-bar'and sitting over the center of the wheel, leave the preponderance unaffected by his weight. The driver may likewise from his seat reach his foot forward, place it upon or near the rear end of the tongue, and, leaning forward with his body, throw his weight forward, causing the front of the machine to descend from the preponderance of weight in front of the axle of the driving-wheel. Then by again drawing back his foot and his body and resting upon the seat and leaning backward the driver will determine the preponderance of weight in rear of the axle, and the front of the machine 'will rise again and the rear descend. j

It is obvious that the driver by moving simultaneously forward and laterally can turn the machine both forward and to either side. Hence he can raise the rear of the frame and the end of the finger-beam attached to it by leaning forward, and by moving sidewise at the same time he can raise the opposite end of the finger-beam, which but for this lateral change of the preponderance of Weight would have drooped and remained resting upon the ground. This arrangement of parts in a compact machine necessarilyinvolves the placing of the driving-wheel so that it will run as near to the standing grass as possible, in order to throw sufficient weight on its opposite side to counterbalance the weight of the cutters enough to allow of their being raised by so small a change in the distribution of weight las the leaning ot' the driver forward or backward, or outward against the leaning-bar E, or toward the opposite side of his seat. The power which is by this arrangement given to the driver to control the machine enables him, while cutting the grass comparatively clean, readily to avoid bringing the cutter into contact with many obstacles that -would either damage it or stop the machine, but which could notwell be avoided by machines ot' this class as heretofore constructed without driving so wide of the obstacles as to leave a large amount of grass uncut in patches, known as balksJ What I claim as my invention,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination, in amowing-machine balanced, or nearly so, upon its main drivingwheel, of a drivers seat arranged over the In testimony whereof I have hereunto subdriving-Wheel, a leaning bar or bars on the seribed my name. side or sides of the drivers seat, and ajointed tongue s0 arranged that by a forward and C. H. MCCORMICK. lateral movement; or a backward and lateral movement of his body the driver can eorre- Witnesses:

spondingly turn the machine upon the driving- F. W. WENTWORTH,

Wheel as a fulernm,substantia1ly as described. WM. T. POOLE. 

